Laundry treating appliances, such as washing machines, refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, can have a configuration based on a rotating container that defines a treating chamber in which laundry items are placed for treating. In a vertical axis washing machine, the container is in the form of a perforated basket located within a tub; both the basket and tub typically have an upper opening at their respective upper ends. In a horizontal axis washing machine, the container is in the form of a perforated basket located within a tub; both the basket and tub typically have an opening at their respective front facing ends. The laundry treating appliance can have a controller that implements the cycles of operation having one or more operating parameters. The controller can control a motor to rotate the container according to one of the cycles of operation.
During cycles of operation, a duty cycle can be used to operate the motor at a rate to drive the basket or agitate the laundry. The duty cycle rates are typically run at a high or maximum duty cycle, expending energy in order to achieve a high cleaning performance over time, which tends to diminish machine efficiency.